ATA Commends Congress For Bipartisan Effort To Lift Barriers To Telehealth And Prioritize Funding To Expand Access To Care

WASHINGTON, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The ATA, the premier organization working to accelerate the adoption of telehealth, today commended Congress for passing the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the third bipartisan package to support Americans in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The ATA worked closely with our members, telehealth advocates, and leaders in Congress to secure a number of telehealth provisions in the ongoing effort to expand access to virtual care during this public health emergency.

"We believe the bill reflects the scale of challenges we face as a country and recognizes that expanding virtual care is necessary to defeat COVID-19," said Ann Mond Johnson, CEO, the ATA. "We commend Congress for recognizing the power of telehealth, and the bipartisan effort to lift telehealth barriers in the Medicare program while prioritizing federal funding for telehealth access and infrastructure during this emergency."

The CARES Act will help ensure Medicare beneficiaries can access care when and where they need it during this pandemic. The act will also provide much-needed support to America's health care providers who are migrating patients to virtual care platforms to reduce exposure to COVID-19. The telehealth provisions in the CARES Act build on the initial Medicare telehealth waiver authorized by Congress and announced by HHS earlier this month.

"ATA members have been on the front lines of this pandemic, helping improve access to care while keeping people safe at home and facilitating the timely diagnosis and treatment of individuals via virtual care solutions. To empower health care providers and patients, and reduce the spread of infection, the ATA has been working with Congress to eliminate barriers to full scale adoption of telehealth," added Mond Johnson. "Since the beginning of this crisis, both states and the federal government, health care providers and patients have recognized the value of telehealth to facilitate access to care to mitigate the virus. We look forward to continuing to work with the Administration, state officials, and health care stakeholders to implement these new policies in order to increase access to care, no matter where you are in the country."

ATA Summary: Key Telehealth Provisions in the CARES Act

About the ATA

As the only organization completely focused on advancing telehealth, the ATA is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to safe, affordable, and appropriate care when and where they need it, enabling the system to do more good for more people. ATA represents a broad and inclusive member network of technology solution providers and payers, as well as partner organizations and alliances, working to advance industry adoption of telehealth, promote responsible policy, advocate for government and market normalization, and provide education and resources to help integrate virtual care into emerging value-based delivery models. @americantelemed #gotelehealth #ATApolicy

SOURCE The ATA